NAFSA Advocates Take International Education Issues to Capitol Hill

I had the great pleasure of welcoming international education advocates representing 31 states and the District of Columbia, to Washington, DC, as part of NAFSA’s Advocacy Day last week.

There were many highlights to the program on the first day, including a new format for the newcomers briefing, which gave all first-time participants the opportunity to interact with colleagues from across the country to prepare for their meetings on the hill. During the general briefing, the Advocate of the Year Award was presented to DeDe Long of the University of Arkansas, for her work in engaging her elected officials and promoting policies that support international education and exchange.

Also during the general briefing, participants had the opportunity to hear from two White House officials about what the Obama Administration is doing to advance immigration reform and how individuals from across the country can help. Specifically, Advocacy Day participants were encouraged to host immigration roundtable events in our own communities.

After Advocacy Day, we asked Meghan Cross to share her experience on the hill.

Empowering: that is Advocacy Day in a Word

By Meghan Cross
I would like to consider myself a good citizen: I don’t cause much trouble and I enjoy promoting cultural exchange. Prior to Advocacy Day, though, I wasn’t a particularly active citizen. Sure, I voted… in the presidential election. However, I have been so moved by what I learned and experienced in the past two days that I am not going to let another congressional election go by without letting my voice be heard. Because I learned that—yes, it sounds cheesy—I do have a voice. And it can be heard. And it was at Advocacy Day.

My region’s Advocacy Day travel grant enabled me to attend Advocacy Day. If you haven’t attended the event yet, I think you should apply for this grant next year from Region VI. If you feel like you do not know enough to become involved, then this is the perfect place for you. The NAFSA staff provides practical tools for normal people. For example, I learned that the best information a constituent (that’s you!) can bring to a congressional office is information you already have: a personal story. How doable does that seem?

After Tuesday’s day of training, it was time to go to the hill on Wednesday. I had three meetings with staff, in the offices of Senator Richard Lugar, Senator Dan Coats and Representative André Carson. I shared my personal story of how study abroad affected my entire undergraduate experience, as well as the story of another student I knew as an undergraduate who was not able to study abroad and would have benefitted from legislation such as the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Act. What stood out most for me was the surreal feeling that my voice was heard and my message would be passed along to people who have the power to make a difference.

In the span of two days, I gained skills that developed me professionally and personally. I feel engaged in the field of international education on a national level. I feel empowered as a citizen. And it feels good.

Meghan Cross is a NAFSA member and program advisor at Butler University Institute for Study Abroad in Indianapolis.

As an international educator, one of the things that I love about being a part of NAFSA is how the organization and its members empower you to make a positive impact in your workplace, community, and nation. I have only been a member of NAFSA for about four years but I have benefited greatly professionally and personally from the national, regional, and state conferences I’ve attended. My experience this past week attending NAFSA’s Advocacy Day was no different.

When it comes to advocacy, I am a definitely a greenhorn. This was my first experience advocating on Capitol Hill. My inexperience in advocacy had previously always held me back from participating; however, this year I received encouragement in the form of a NAFSA Region VI travel grant which provided the funding for my trip to Washington, DC. My first day in DC, I discovered that I was not the only inexperienced advocate; the Newcomer’s Briefing was full of educators who were attending advocacy day for the first time. Although, this was our first time advocating on Capitol Hill, the introductory and briefing sessions sufficiently prepared us for our congressional meetings.

Early the next morning we broke into groups of our corresponding states and headed to Capitol Hill. My group was able to meet with the offices of two senators and two house representatives. We had important conversations with congressional staff about immigration reform and the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Act. Although, we did not receive any guarantees from our meetings, we did raise awareness of these important issues and the impact they have in our communities and state.

After we completed our appointments on the hill we returned to meet as a group again and share our experiences. The stories we heard were encouraging and helped me see the bigger picture and what it really takes to be successful in advocacy. As important as it is for individuals to come to DC and advocate to their congressmen and congresswomen on Capitol Hill, it is just as important that we advocate for the same issues in our communities and states.

The issues we advocate to congress will only be important to them if it is also important to their constituents. Although our meetings were complete and Advocacy Day was officially over, it was clear that it was just the beginning of the process for us. We must return home and also make immigration reform and study abroad a priority in our communities. I hope to return next year with further support from my community and state!

Megan, I like the idea of studying abroad, but can everyone afford the cost. With rising cost of tuition alone, can a student actually afford to study and stay in another country? I think the experience and diversity it can offer would give students a different perspective about other cultures. I wish I could have went abroad.

You aren’t alone in wishing you would have went abroad; that is actually the number one regret I hear from people who have graduated college and haven’t studied abroad!

Some students may not realize it, but studying abroad is actually more attainable and possible than it might seem at first. By law, federal aid from the United States government can be transferred to studies overseas. Actually, some state and institutional aid are often portable too, and there are work study and scholarship opportunities available for students.

However, this is not always enough for students, and that is why NAFSA continues to support the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Act. If you would like to learn more, you can do so here: http://www.nafsa.org/simon!

Meghan
Thank you for the information. It is never too late to get this information and pass it on to some of my high school counseling friends. I was not aware of the payment methods available for use. I will definitely look into joining. What exactly is required as far as time and commitment is concerned?

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About the Blog

On the NAFSA blog, the importance and impact of international education are in the spotlight. Join the conversation. Take action to support public policies that promote a better world through educational exchanges. Discuss innovative approaches to making the college experience more international. Read more